Cessna: 172 RG; Cracked Landing Gear Actuators; ATA 3233

Cessna: 172 RG; Cracked Landing Gear Actuators; ATA 3233

(The following is a composite of three separate defect reports from the same technician on the same model—but different aircraft.)

The first submission states, “The pilot (for this aircraft) reported a side load on landing. On a subsequent take-off the R/H main landing gear would not fully retract. (Inspection...) found the R/H actuator (P/N 9882015-2) cracked at the forward bolt hole.” Another aircraft produced a similar defect during a 100-hour inspection for the L/H retraction actuator (same part number): it was not only cracked but the upper forward bolt was found sheared. The third defect report again describes failure of another 172 aircraft’s L/H main gear to retract...and the same “...actuator cracked at the forward bolt hole...” as the above discrepancy. (The reported part times on each aircraft’s failed actuator were 2,893.6, unknown, and 1,407.2 hours, respectively. The SDRS data base records
28 entries related to this ATA code since 1995.)